earlderrbiggers.thehousewithoutakey-第3节

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alked　the　line。　The　inevitable　preparatory　school；　Harvard；　the　proper　clubs；　the　family　banking　house　…　even　gone　and　got　himself　engaged　to　the　very　girl　his　mother　would　have　picked　for　him。　There　have　been　times　when　I　hoped　he　might　kick　over　…　the　war　…　but　no；　he　came　back　and　got　meekly　into　the　old　rut。〃
　〃Then　he's　reliable　…　steady？〃
　Miss　Minerva　smiled。　〃Dan；　pared　with　that　boy；　Gibraltar　wobbles　occasionally。〃
　〃Discreet；　I　take　it？〃
　〃He　invented　discretion。　That's　what　I'm　telling　you。　I　love　him　…　but　a　little　bit　of　recklessness　now　and　then　…　However；　I'm　afraid　it's　too　late　now。　John　Quincy　is　nearly　thirty。〃
　Dan　Winterslip　was　on　his　feet；　his　manner　that　of　a　man　who　had　made　an　important　decision。　Beyond　the　bamboo　curtain　that　hung　in　the　door　leading　to　the　living…room　a　light　appeared。　〃Haku！〃　Winterslip　called。　The　Japanese　servant　came　swiftly。
　〃Haku；　tell　the　chauffeur　…　quick　…　the　big　car！　I　must　get　to　the　dock　before　the　President　Tyler　sails　for　San　Francisco。　Wikiwiki！〃
　The　servant　disappeared　into　the　living…room；　and　Winterslip　followed。　Somewhat　puzzled；　Miss　Minerva　sat　for　a　moment；　then　rose　and　pushed　aside　the　curtain。　〃Are　you　sailing；　Dan？〃　she　asked。
　He　was　seated　at　his　desk；　writing　hurriedly。　〃No；　no　…　just　a　note　…　I　must　get　it　off　on　that　boat　…〃
　There　was　an　air　of　suppressed　excitement　about　him。　Miss　Minerva　stepped　over　the　threshold　into　the　living…room。　In　another　moment　Haku　appeared　with　an　announcement　that　was　unnecessary；　for　the　engine　of　an　automobile　was　humming　in　the　drive。　Dan　Winterslip　took　his　hat　from　Haku。　〃Make　yourself　at　home；　Minerva　…　I'll　be　back　shortly；〃　he　cried；　and　rushed　out。
　Some　business　matter；　no　doubt。　Miss　Minerva　strolled　aimlessly　about　the　big　airy　room；　pausing　finally　before　the　portrait　of　Jedediah　Winterslip；　the　father　of　Dan　and　Amos；　and　her　uncle。　Dan　had　had　it　painted　from　a　photograph　after　the　old　man's　death；　it　was　the　work　of　an　artist　whose　forte　was　reputed　to　be　landscapes　…　oh　it　must　assuredly　have　been　landscapes；　Miss　Minerva　thought。　But　even　so　there　was　no　mistaking　the　power　and　personality　of　this　New　Englander　who　had　set　up　in　Honolulu　as　a　whaler。　The　only　time　she　had　seen　him；　in　the　'eighties；　he　had　been　broken　and　old；　mourning　his　lost　fortune；　which　had　gone　with　his　ships　in　an　Arctic　disaster　a　short　time　before。
　Well；　Dan　had　brought　the　family　back；　Miss　Minerva　reflected。　Won　again　that　lost　fortune　and　much　more。　There　were　queer　rumors　about　his　methods　…　but　so　there　were　about　the　methods　of　Bostonians　who　had　never　strayed　from　home。　A　charming　fellow；　whatever　his　past。　Miss　Minerva　sat　down　at　the　grand　piano　and　played　a　few　old　familiar　bars　…　The　Beautiful　Blue　Danube。　Her　thoughts　went　back　to　the　'eighties。
　Dan　Winterslip　was　thinking　of　the　'eighties　too　as　his　car　sped　townward　along　Kalakaua　Avenue。　But　it　was　the　present　that　concerned　him　when　they　reached　the　dock　and　he　ran；　panting　a　little；　through　a　dim　pier…shed　toward　the　gangplank　of　the　President　Tyler。　He　had　no　time　to　spare；　the　ship　was　on　the　point　of　sailing。　Since　it　was　a　through　boat　from　the　Orient　it　left　without　the　ceremonies　that　attend　the　departure　of　a　liner　plying　only　between　Honolulu　and　the　mainland。　Even　so；　there　were　cries　of　〃Aloha；〃　some　hearty　and　some　tremulous；　most　of　the　travelers　were　bedecked　with　leis；　and　a　confused　little　crowd　milled　about　the　foot　of　the　plank。
　Dan　Winterslip　pushed　his　way　forward　and　ran　up　the　sharp　incline。　As　he　reached　the　dock　he　encountered　an　old　acquaintance；　Hepworth；　the　second　officer。
　〃You're　the　man　I'm　looking　for；〃　he　cried。
　〃How　are　you；　sir；〃　Hepworth　said。　〃I　didn't　see　your　name　on　the　list。〃
　〃No；　I'm　not　sailing。　I'm　here　to　ask　a　favor。〃
　〃Glad　to　oblige；　Mr。　Winterslip。〃
　Winterslip　thrust　a　letter　into　his　hand。　〃You　know　my　cousin　Roger　in　'Frisco。　Please　give　him　that　…　him　and　no　one　else　…　as　soon　after　you　land　as　you　possibly　can。　I'm　too　late　for　the　mail　…　and　I　prefer　this　way　anyhow。　I'll　be　mighty　grateful。〃
　〃Don't　mention　it　…　you've　been　very　kind　to　me　and　I'll　be　only　too　happy　…　I'm　afraid　you'll　have　to　go　ashore；　sir。　Just　a　minute；　there　…〃　He　took　Winterslip's　arm　and　gently　urged　him　back　on　to　the　plank。　The　instant　Dan's　feet　touched　the　dock；　the　plank　was　drawn　up　behind　him。
　For　a　moment　he　stood；　held　by　the　fascination　an　Islander　always　feels　at　sight　of　a　ship　outward　bound。　Then　he　turned　and　walked　slowly　through　the　pier…shed。　Ahead　of　him　he　caught　a　glimpse　of　a　slender　lithe　figure　which　he　recognized　at　once　as　that　of　Dick　Kaohla；　the　grandson　of　Kamaikui。　He　quickened　his　pace　and　joined　the　boy。
　〃Hello；　Dick；〃　he　said。
　〃Hello。〃　The　brown　face　was　sullen；　unfriendly。
　〃You　haven't　been　to　see　me　for　a　long　time；〃　Dan　Winterslip　said。　〃Everything　all　right？〃
　〃Sure；〃　replied　Kaohla。　〃Sure　it's　all　right。〃　They　reached　the　street；　and　the　boy　turned　quickly　away。　〃Good　night；〃　he　muttered。
　Dan　Winterslip　stood　for　a　moment；　thoughtfully　looking　after　him。　Then　he　got　into　the　car。　〃No　hurry　now；〃　he　remarked　to　the　chauffeur。
　When　he　reappeared　in　his　living…room；　Miss　Minerva　glanced　up　from　the　book　she　was　reading。　〃Were　you　in　time；　Dan？〃　she　asked。
　〃Just　made　it；〃　he　told　her。
　〃Good；〃　she　said；　rising。　〃I'll　take　my　book　and　go　up…stairs。　Pleasant　dreams。〃
　He　waited　until　she　reached　the　door　before　he　spoke。　〃Ah　…　Minerva　…　don't　trouble　to　write　your　nephew　about　stopping　here。〃
　〃No；　Dan？〃　she　said；　puzzled　again。
　〃No。　I've　attended　to　the　invitation　myself。　Good　night。〃
　〃Oh　…　good　night；〃　she　answered；　and　left　him。
　Alone　in　the　great　room；　he　paced　restlessly　back　and　forth　over　the　polished　floor。　In　a　moment　he　went　out　on　to　the　lanai；　and　found　the　newspaper　he　had　been　reading　earlier　in　the　evening。　He　brought　it　back　to　the　living…room　and　tried　to　finish　it；　but　something　seemed　to　trouble　him。　His　eyes　kept　straying　…　straying　…　with　a　sharp　exclamation　he　tore　one　corner　from　the　shipping　page；　savagely　ripped　the　fragment　to　bits。
　Again　he　got　up　and　wandered　about。　He　had　intended　paying　a　call　down　the　beach；　but　that　quiet　presence　in　the　room　above　…　Boston　in　its　more　tolerant　guise　but　Boston　still　…　gave　him　pause。
　He　returned　to　the　lanai。　There；　under　a　mosquito　netting；　was　the　cot　where　he　preferred　to　sleep；　his　dressing…room　was　near　at　hand。　However；　it　was　too　early　for　bed。　He　stepped　through　the　door　on　to　the　beach。　Unmistakable；　the　soft　treacherous　breath　of　the　Kona　fanned　his　cheek　…　the　〃sick　wind〃　that　would　pile　the　breakers　high　along　the　coast　and　blight　temporarily　this　Island　paradise。　There　was　no　moon；　the　stars　that　usually　seemed　so　friendly　and　so　close　were　now　obscured。　The　black　water　rolled　in　like　a　threat。　He　stood　staring　out　into　the　dark　…　out　there　to　the　crossroads　where　paths　always　crossed　again。　If　you　gave　them　time　…　if　you　only　gave　them　time　…
　As　he　turned　back；　his　eyes　went　to　the　algaroba　tree　beyond　the　wire；　and　he　saw　the　yellow　flare　of　a　match。　His　brother　Amos。　He　had　a　sudden　friendly　feeling　for　Amos；　he　wanted　to　go　over　and　talk　to　him；　talk　of　the　far　days　when　they　played　together　on　this　beach。　No　use；　he　knew。　He　sighed；　and　the　screen　door　of　the　lanai　banged　behind　him　…　the　screen　door　without　a　lock　in　a　land　where　locks　are　few。
　Tired；　he　sat　in　the　dark　to　think。　His　face　was　turned　toward　the　curtain　of　bamboo　between　him　and　the　living…room。　On　that　curtain　a　shadow　appeared；　was　motionless　a　second；　then　vanished。　He　caught　his　breath　…　again　the　shadow。　〃Who's　there？〃　he　called。
　A　huge　brown　arm　was　thrust　through　the　bamboo。　A　friendly　brown　face　was　framed　there。
　〃Your　fruit　I　put　on　the　table；〃　said　Kamaikui。　〃I　go　to　bed　now。〃
　〃Of　course。　Go　ahead。　Good　night。〃
　The　woman　withdrew。　Dan　Winterslip　was　furious　with　himself。　What　was　the　matter　with　him；　anyhow？　He　who　had　fought　his　way　through　unspeakable　terrors　in　the　early　days　…　nervous　…　on　edge　…
　〃Getting　old；〃　he　muttered。　〃No；　by　heaven　…　it's　the　Kona。　That's　it。　The　Kona。　I'll　be　all　right　when　the　trades　blow　again。〃
　When　the　trades　blew　again！　He　wondered。　Here　at　the　crossroads　one　could　not　be　sure。
　
　CHAPTER　II　
　The　High　Hat
　
　JOHN　QUINCY　WINTERSLIP　walked　aboard　the　ferry　at　Oakland　feeling　rather　limp　and　weary。　For　more　than　six　days　he　had　been　marooned　on　sleepers　…　his　pause　at　Chicago　had　been　but　a　flitting　from　one　train　to　another　…　and　he　was　fed　up。　Seeing　America　first　…　that　was　what　he　had　been　doing。　And　what　an　appalling　lot　of　it　there　was！　He　felt　that　for　an　eternity　he　had　been　staring　at　endless　plains；　dotted　here　and　there　by　unesthetic　houses　the　inmates　of　which　had　unquestionably　never　heard　a　symphony　concert。
　Ahead　of　him　ambled　a　porter；　bearing　his　two　suitcases；　his　golf　clubs　and　his　hat…box。　One　of　the　man's　hands　was　gone　…　chewed　off；　no　doubt；　in　some　amiable　frontier　scuffle。　In　its　place　he　wore　a　steel　hook。　Well；　no　one　could　question　the　value　of　a　steel　hook　to　a　man　in　the　porter's　profession。　But　how　quaint　…　and　western！
　The　boy　indicated　a　spot　by　the　rail　on　the　f